Envelop-opener and the like.



w. H. REDMAN.

ENVELOP OPENER AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION men APR. 1, 1915.

1,174,348. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

ATTORNEYS.

can/mu co, WASHINGTON D c WITNE SSE I NVENTOR, 7714 WQ/ZZMQ W WALTER H. RE'DMAN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

ENVELQP-OPENER AND THE LIKE.

mamas.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER H. REDMAN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop- Openers and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for cutting creased sheets, such as paper, and is particularly adapted for use as an opener for envelops.

The invention relates to an opener of this kind which has its parts adapted to cooperate so as to keep the opener on the crease of the sheet or article to becut and at the same time to spread or separate the folds between which the blade is passed.

The improved opener is provided with a blade disposed so that its guiding or ad- .yanced edge or point is held against one of suitable form of grasping means or handle and with a blade so formed that its forward end is disposed to bear to one side and c0- operate with the portions of the blade to the rear thereof so as to spread the material and keep the forward end against one of the inner walls, the guide being arranged out of the line with the forward end and thus maintaining the envelop and opener in proper relative positions.

The invention is shown in one form in the accompanying drawing, although it will be evident that the disposition, sizes and forms of the parts can be changed to some extent without departing from the scope ofmy invention.

' In said drawing Figure 1 is a side view of my improved paper cutter, this View also showing a corner of an envelop about to be cut. Fig. 2,is a front view of the opener shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a top view of the opener shown in Fig. 1.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing I illustrate the blade and handle portion Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 1, 1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916. Serial No. 18,490. I

made of one piece, although it will be understood that different forms of handles and body portlons can be used. In the form shown the handle 10 forms means by which the opener is grasped and manipulated and which has at its upper end a tongue 11 which acts as a support for a guide to be hereinafter described, the rear end of the tongue being cut away as at 12, the handle having an extension extending up as at 13 and then extending forwardly as at 14 to form a blade, the forward end 15 of'the blade being preferably slightly reduced in size so as to facilitate its entrance into the crease or fold that is to: be severed. :The blade 14; is arranged opposite a guide on the tongue 11, which guide, in the form shown, consists of a strip 16 of material which is bent over on both sides of the tongue and secured thereto by means of eyelets 17, althoughv it will be understood that other fastening means can be employed. The guide '16 has flaring edges 18 to more easily receive the fold of the envelop, the front portion of the guide, as at 19, being arranged with its walls diverging so as to make the entrance of the envelop easier. The diverging entrance is clearly shown in Fig. 3. The bottom edge of the blade 14 where it curves down to join the cut-away portion 12 forms a cutting edge 20, although it will be understood that indevices of this kind while these edges are called cutting edges they are not necessarily sharpened to have cutting properties, but simply are made thin enough so as to easily tear a folded or creased portion,

asv will be evident. p

The blade 14 is formed so that it is not straight, being formed so that its forward endis out of line with portions in the rear thereof so that the blade has a spreading function which insures the point 15 of the 7 blade being pressed against one of the inner walls of the folded 0r creased portion of the paper, such as the fold of an envelop.

In the particular cutter illustrated in the drawing the blade is curved so that its end portion extends to one side of the body portion of the blade, although it will be evident that different forms of blades can be used so long as the spreading effect, which causes the point 15 of the blade to constantly engage one of the inner walls of the crease, is brought about. The guide 16 receives the fold 21 of the envelop and holds the creased part of the envelop so that it is not affected by the pressure of the point 15 against one i of its inner walls, and also holds it in position to be acted upon by the cutting edge 20. When the opener is to be used the point 15 is inserted at the part 22 which is usually not tightly sealed in envelopes, and it is passed inside the fold 21, being pressed to one side thereof by reason of portions in rear of the point 15 being out of line therewith, and the guide then engages the fold 21 and holds it so that the cutting edge 20 severs the fold 21, as will be evident. Of course, this device is not limited to opening envelops and can be used in similar situations where it is desired to sever a crease and not material between the walls of the creased sheet. I prefer to make the guide slightly rounded as shown particularly in Fig. l, and to also make the part of the blade 14 opposite the guide with its bottom edge similarly rounded, which provides separated bearing points for the envelop and minimizes the friction, as will be evident.

The spreading function of the blade, along with its resultant bearing of the forward point of the blade against one of the inner walls of the fold, prevents the cutting of the contents of the envelop which is shown in slightly exaggerated form in Fig. 3, one of the walls being shown forced down by the forward end 15 of the blade, the contents 23 being safe, since the blade is guided so that it passes between the contents of the envelop and the wall against which the blade bears.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An envelop opener comprising a blade, and a guide to engage the fold of an envelop to limit the entrance of the blade into the envelop, that part of the blade opposite the guide being in alinement with said guide and the forward end of the blade being out of alinement therewith.

2. An envelop opener comprising a blade having a curved inner edge with its front end out of line with portions in the rear thereof, the rear end of said inner edge forming a cutting edge, and a guide opposite said edge and intermediate of its ends to receive the folded edge of an envelop to guide and limit the penetration of said blade into the envelop.

3. An envelop opener comprising a blade with its entering end out of line with parts of the blade in rear thereof, a guide out of line with said forward end of the blade, and a cutting edge in rear of said guide.

4. An envelop opener comprising a guide, a blade having a cutting edge in rear of said guide and substantially in line therewith, the blade extending forward substantially in line with the guide and being formed at its forward end out of line with said guide.

5. An envelop opener comprising a blade having its forward end bent out of line with the portion of the blade in rear thereof, the lower edge of the blade being curved downwardly to form a cutting edge at the rear portion thereof, and a trough-shaped guide opposite said blade and in rear of its forward end.

6. An envelop opener comprising a blade having its forward end bent out of line with the portion of the blade in rear thereof, the lower edge of the blade being curved downwardly to form a cutting edge at the rear portion thereof, and a trough-shaped guide opposite said blade and in rear of its forward end, said trough-shaped guide being substantially in line with the cutting edge of the blade and having its walls divergent at the forward end.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I hereto set my hand, this 30th day of March, 1915.

WALTER H. REDMAN.

Witnesses M. A. JOHNSON, H. TRAUTVETTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

